The 25 greatest

Scots of the

last 25 years

Kenneth Roy

 

The home within hard covers of our great and good, 'Who's Who in Scotland', is celebrating its 25th anniversary with an opinion poll conducted among the 4,000+ inhabitants of its pages. The book is the size of a small town. No more influential one exists north of the border. The Who's Who in Scotlanders were asked to nominate the greatest Scot of the quarter century of its existence.
     For the purposes of the poll the word 'Scot' was interpreted loosely to include anyone living partly or exclusively in Scotland, irrespective of nationality, the only qualification being that they had played some part in the life of Scotland since the book's foundation year (1986).
     Today, SR publishes in alphabetical order the names of the 25 nominees who gathered the highest number of votes. Later in the week, we will publish them a second time in an order of precedence according to the number of votes cast for each.
     Here, then, is the alphabetical list:

Sir James Black (1924-2010), pharmacologist
George Mackay Brown (1921-1996), poet
Gordon Brown (b 1951), politician
Robin Cook (1946-2005), politician
Donald Dewar (1937-2000), politician
Ian Donald (1910-87), physician
Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother (1900-2002)
Winnie Ewing (b 1929), politician
Ian Hamilton Finlay (1925-2006), artist and poet
Sir Alexander Gibson (1926-95), conductor
Lord Grimond: Jo Grimond (1913-93), politician
Lord Home of the Hirsel: Alec Douglas Home (1903-95), politician
Norman MacCaig (1910-96), poet
Professor Sir Neil MacCormick (1941-2009), lawyer and politician
Lord Macfarlane of Bearsden: Norman Macfarlane (b 1926),      industrialist
Mick McGahey (1925-99), trade unionist
Lord Mackay of Clashfern: James Mackay (b 1927), lawyer
Sorley Maclean (1911-96), poet
James MacMillan (b 1959), composer
Edwin Morgan (1920-2010), poet
Jimmy Reid (1932-2010), trade unionist
Alex Salmond (b 1954), politician
John Smith (1938-94), politician
Nigel Tranter (1909-2000), author
Viscount Younger of Leckie: George Younger (1931-2003), politician

     The first striking feature of this list is that only six of the 25 are still alive: Gordon Brown, Winnie Ewing, Norman Macfarlane, James Mackay, James MacMillan and Alex Salmond. There is more than a suggestion that many of the nominations were made in recognition of services formerly rendered: some have the whiff of lifetime achievement awards. Of course the list is none the less fascinating: it is a real snapshot of Scottish post-war accomplishment.
     Its second striking feature is that only two of the 25 are women: Winnie Ewing and the Queen Mother. Were they really the only women of distinction in Scottish life worthy of multiple nominations? If true, how infinitely depressing.
     For further clues to the demography of this list, it is worth looking closely at vocations. Nine politicians – that does seem a lot. One of our renaissance men, Neil MacCormick, I have categorised as a lawyer rather than a politician, although he was both, and an academic as well, otherwise it would have been 10 politicians out of 25. Surely they are over-represented.
     MacCormick is one of only two lawyers, the other being Mackay. Science and medicine, among Scotland's traditional strengths, are also thin on the ground with only Black of betablocker and Donald of ultrasound. There are two musicians, Gibson and MacMillan, but no one from the theatre or the media. I would have expected Magnusson to be there (for his scholarship and public service, as well as his broadcasting) and perhaps Rikki too, if only because no one for a big part of those 25 years made us laugh more. Billy and Sean, for all their popular appeal, failed to storm this particular barn. In a world of celebrity, this is a celebrity-free zone.
     It seems that we do not appreciate entrepreneurs a great deal. Their sole representative, Norman Macfarlane, may have attracted support not so much for his business record as for his philanthropic works, particularly in the restoration of the Kelvingrove museum. Neither of the Toms – Hunter and Farmer – has qualified; nor the bus magnate. There is more respect for what is still sometimes called 'the other side of industry': Mick McGahey and Jimmy Reid are both on the list, deservedly so as two of the largest personalities Scotland has produced in 50 years, never mind 25.
     Next to politicians, the largest category consists of writers: the poets George Mackay Brown, Norman MacCaig, Ian Hamilton Finlay (who was also an artist), Sorley Maclean and Edwin Morgan, as well as the novelist and historian Nigel Tranter. But no Iain Crichton Smith; no Alasdair Gray. Of painters, although we seem to have hundreds of good ones, not a trace. The compilers are equally unimpressed by sport, which devours so much national attention but, it seems, to no lasting effect.
     But perhaps the most conspicuous snub is for religion: there is not a single churchman or woman in the top 25. It was not always so. When a similar poll was conducted by 'Who's Who in Scotland' for its millennium edition, and the brief was to name the greatest Scot of the 20th century, George MacLeod (1895-1991) was placed eighth between Eric Liddell and John Reith (neither of whom would have qualified for the present more limited survey). Where is MacLeod now? His reputation appears to have shrunk to invisibility: he has gone from eighth in the 20th century to nowhere. This could say more about the much-reduced standing of the church than it does about MacLeod himself. Who knows?
     Although such omissions are odd, even inexplicable, this has the feeling of a serious list created by a serious people. In terms of votes received, two of the 25 stand well ahead of the field. But I'm not saying who they are – just yet. In a special edition on Friday, SR will publish the table of results.
     The speculation starts here...

Kenneth Roy is editor of the Scottish Review

Which of the 25 short-listed would you select as the greatest Scot of the last 25 years? Or would you choose someone who isn't on the short-list?
     Please email your nomination, with reasons for your choice, to islay@scottishreview.net to arrive no later than Thursday at 5pm. We will publish a selection in the special edition of SR on Friday.